Vissel Kobe Draws 2-2 with Chengdu in Yoshida's Final Match

Vissel Kobe secured a dramatic 2-2 draw against Chengdu Rongcheng on Tuesday, maintaining their lead in the eastern zone of the AFC Champions League Elite with a late penalty in the final match under departing coach Takayuki Yoshida. The game, played at Kobe's home stadium, marked the end of Yoshida's three-and-a-half-year tenure, during which he guided the club to J.League titles in both 2023 and 2024.

Yoshinori Muto gave Kobe an early advantage in the 18th minute, turning and firing home from eight yards out. Chengdu responded just before halftime, with Brazilian forward Felipe Silva equalizing from long range in stoppage time. The visitors then took the lead in the 77th minute when Felipe converted a penalty after a foul in the area. Kobe fought back in the dying moments, earning their own spot kick in the 90th minute, which Daiju Sasaki calmly dispatched to salvage a point.

The result left Kobe two points clear at the top of the 12-team eastern league phase standings, with seven points from six matches. They now need just one more point from their remaining two games to guarantee advancement to the round of 16, as the top eight teams from each zone progress in March. Fellow...